For Research Purposes | ✔

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

     It's not like Sam had gone into the night intending to assault Sage with his dick.

     Truthfully, he'd gone into the night, intending to tell Sage to knock it off. You know, stop with the whole open shirts, bedroom eyes, bitten-red lips thing. Because it's downright distracting. That's how the night was supposed to go.

     Sam was supposed to turn to Sage and say, "Listen, buddy. We all get it. You're very pretty. But I'm gonna need you to be less pretty when you're around me. So sweats from here on out. Actually, no sweats. Jeans. Baggy jeans. Super unflattering jeans and lots of layers. No chest. Yes, I'm putting in clothing requests because you need to be wearing clothing around me at all times. There will not be another bathroom scene between us."

     Except that's not how it went at all and now Sage is gone and Sam's still on the floor, reeling. He needs to fix this, but he has no idea how to do that.

     He opens his messages, and types out these things happen? to Sage and then deletes it. He then tries sorry if my dick offended, but that's juvenile, so he deletes that, too. He stays on the floor thinking of a polite way to say sorry about the wood until he finally decides there is no polite way of apologizing for such a thing.

     Sam gets up and reaches down to pick up all the to-go containers, taking them to his little kitchenette so he can throw it out. It's late, but he's not tired. He's keyed up, but at least he's not buzzed anymore.

     He goes to the bathroom, turning the shower on. He starts taking his clothes off but stops suddenly, catching his reflection in the mirror. He presses his hands down on the sink as he leans in, not that he needs to get any closer to see the massive hickey on his throat.

     Sam traces the shape of it and feels his throat bob as he swallows. It's annoying, he thinks. How hooking up with Sage was probably the best he's ever had and it was just kissing. Tame kissing, even.

     He meets his own gaze in the mirror. In this lighting, his eyes are just brown. In most lighting, that's all they are, a buttery brown. Warm and light. Definitely one of his best attributes. The green hides a lot. Not many people even know it's there. But Sage knows.

     Sage also knows what Sam's dick looks like and what it feels like when it's hard in his lap. Sam sighs, pushing away from the counter to get into the shower. The water's too hot and he hisses, stepping out of the stream as he gets used to it.

     Sam spends the night trying to forget the night.

     When he wakes in the morning, he comes to the decision to pretend it never happened. So he had coerced Sage into kissing him and then had practically mounted him like a horse. Well. Worse things have happened. (Worse things have actually not happened, this was definitely the. worst.)

     And Sage had immediately bolted. Sam clearly offended him. He would have to apologize. They should probably go back to working in a public space, too. Keep things as distant and civil as possible without ruining the integrity of their work.

     He's not going to be able to avoid Sage completely but he can prolong running into him for as long as possible. Which is why when he hears a door open behind him just as he's stepping into the elevator, he doesn't even consider his actions, just turns, catching sight of a familiar blond head, and reaches over to aggressively tap the close doors button.

     But Sage, Sage takes off running down the hall, leaping forward to get a hand between the closing doors before it shuts. Sam moves to dive past him out of the elevator but Sage sees it coming and practically close-lines him. The air's punched out of Sam's lungs and he wheezes, keeling over.